Removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus including an inner hollow shell and outer wall incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports for a gas stove

ABSTRACT

A flame heat transfer regulating apparatus including an inner hollow shell and outer wall incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports for a gas stove to increase the flame heating efficiency in cooking. The shell is an ascending wall including a smaller sized bottom opening and a larger sized top opening. A plurality of air passages are through the shell, wherein the air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part, and are less densely distributed onto an upper part of the shell. The outer wall includes a plurality of air passages therethrough and multiple extensions projecting upwardly spaced on a top of the wall, wherein one extension is served to prevent undesirable heating of a handle of an utensil. The inner shell and outer wall are positioned on the gas stove cooktop. The shell is positioned to surround an upper section of the burner, where the improved burner ports are positioned. The outer wall is positioned to surround the inner shell. Each identical improved burner port includes a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet connected to an expanded larger section having an ascending interior surface and a larger sized outlet for forming a stable kernel of the flame.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/811,521 filed on Jun. 11, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally related to cooking appliances, and more particularly to a removable apparatus in use of regulating heat transfer of the flame which is incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports to increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In general gas stoves are well known including the associated structural components. The following 13 United States patents and published patent applications are the closest prior art references which are related to the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,156,087 issued to Kupfer on Oct. 12, 1915 for “Flame Shield For Gas Stove” discloses a cylindrical metal tube which is used as a flame shield for a burner of the gas stove. The tube is comprised of a circular wall having an upper end and a lower end, wherein a plurality of vertical slots, preferably three, are circumferentially spaced on the wall. The slots are extending upward from the lower end of the wall to an upper position of the wall, wherein one of them is arranged to fit over the gas pipe. The flame shield is placed between the stove grids on the cooktop and a platform placed under the cooktop, wherein the upper end of the shield reaches into the plane of the undersurface of the grids, the lower end of the shield rests upon the platform, and the body of the shield surrounds the burner.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,166,442 issued to Kahn on Jul. 18, 1939 for “Cooking Stove” discloses a mechanical structure which is connected to the top of a gas burner having a plurality of gas ports and the cooktop of a stove, wherein an annular curved shield surrounds the burner adjacent the gas ports and extends upwardly and outwardly to the inside edge of the recessed shoulder of the cooktop for directing the heat from the burner toward the grate opening.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,742 issued to Power on Jun. 8, 1965 for “Combination Gas Burner Grid And Flame Shield” discloses an improved gas burner grid comprising a substantially rigid and arcuate shield to eliminate any undesirable overheating of a pan handle. The shield is placed to the radial innermost ends of the two adjacent ribs, which are among a total of 8 ribs, wherein all the ribs are circumferentially spaced onto a rigid, cast-iron ring of the circular grid. The grid is further adapted to be seated removably in the upper open end of a stationary, generally cup shaped housing having a bottom through the center of which projects a conventional gas stove burner.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,419 issued to Reiner on Feb. 8, 2005 for “Portable Hiking Stove” discloses an improved portable hiking stove. The stove is comprised of a base member having a plurality of air passages therethrough with an opening dimensioned to receive a burner therein, three identical side members vertically dimensioned so as to be assembled together to support the horizontal base member therebetween, and a circularly cylindrical wall acted as a wind screen having a lower bottom end from which is supported by three protrusions of the respective three side members. Each identical side member is further comprised of a plurality of air passages placed on its lower part, wherein the positions of the air passages therethrough each side member are lower than the position where the base member is supported therebetween the side members. The wind screen is further placed, wherein its upper end is positioned to be higher than the upper ends of the side members, and its lower end is positioned to be higher that the horizontal base member which is placed.

United States Patent Publication No.: 2005/0115556 issued to Carson et al. on Jun. 2, 2005 for “Turkey Fryer/Outdoor Cooker Wind and Fire Guard” discloses a wind screen device for outdoor grill. The device can be assembled from a horizontal bottom plate and a series of vertical side plates to be a cuboid enclosure or wind screen. The enclosure is capable of hosting a variety of types any sizes of outdoor cooking units. The windscreen device includes at least one pair of air vent openings therethrough adjacent to a bottom edge of each side plate, and an additional opening in one of its side plates, which is designed to admit a gas hose therethrough.

United States Patent Publication No.: 2004/0045542 issued to Zhou et al. on Mar. 11, 2004 is for an “Outdoor Cook Stove”. The Publication discloses a portable outdoor stove including a burner and a wind guard having an opened bottom end of cylinder shape capable of tightly coupled with a cooking vessel and possessing window opening of less than 180 degree toward its top for exhaust outlet, wherein the burner is placed at the center of the opened bottom of the wind guard.

United States Patent Publication No.: 2005/0109330 issued to Pestrue et al. on May 26, 2005 for “Cooking Stove Including Invertible Support Rack, Support Rack With Dual Cooking Surfaces And Method Of Using Same” discloses a stove for outdoor use. The stove includes a hollow shell, supporting structure, and a burner assembly, operatively attached to the side of the shell, and a vessel support rack for placement on the shell.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,335 issued to Farnsworth et al. on Jul. 25, 1989 for “Vented Gas Range Top Burner” discloses a top burner for a gas cooking range, which includes a burner vent having a radially upwardly sloping wall to surround the burner head. An annular ring projects upwardly from an inner radial extremity of the wall to direct combustion products from the burner head into immediate scrubbing contact with the bottom of a cooking utensil. The wall terminates at an outer radial extremity adapted to be located in sufficiently close proximity with the bottom of the cooking utensil to restrict radially outward flow of combustion products. Capture ports adjacent the outer radial extremity of the wall transfer exhaust combustion products through a vent pipe to the atmosphere at a positive pressure.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,420 issued to Jennings (the Jennings patent) on Feb. 8, 2005 for “Burner With Piloting Ports” discloses an improved burner having ports that are aligned in a defined alignment with respect to an adjacent structure of the a burner body with a piloting zone so that adjacent structure guides the formation of a flame kernel at an outlet of the port. A structural portion of the burner body such as an extended lip protruding beyond the burner port stabilizes the flame kernels at the burner port outlet. Such structures provide a method for improving the turndown ratio of burners by preventing lifting or backlash of the flame kernels generated at the burner port outlets by aligning the ports in conjunction with an adjacent structure within a piloting zone.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,018 issued to Avshalumov on Jul. 25, 2000 for “Gas Burner” discloses an improved gas burner. The burner comprises in combination means for controlled feeding and subsequent admixing of a secondary air directly to the base of flame in a form of a cap coaxially surrounding a burner head of the gas burner having lateral apertures for issuing combustible air-gas mixture to form a flame. During the operation of the gas burner the exact measured amount of the secondary air is admixed directly to the base of the flame, thereby highly efficient and complete combustion process characterized by high-elevated temperature is achieved.

In addition, gas burners that incorporate two and three flame rings having the laterally oriented burner ports are known in the field of the art. Generally, a small flame ring that is located in the center of the gas burner is designated as a warming burner. The outer flame ring and middle flame ring, if any, are designated as the main burner. Regarding use of a multi-ring gas burner, U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,205 issued to Harneit (the Haneit patent) on Oct. 17, 2000 for “Multi-Ring Sealed Gas Burner” discloses a multi-ring burner assembly that utilizes at least two flame rings to gently and evenly warm food and a third outer flame ring in conjunction with the first two flame rings for cooking food.

The modern gas stoves for the household usage can be classified to a sealed burner mounting and an opened burner mounting (see commercial stoves elsewhere), regarding the mechanical structure to affix gas burners onto the cooktops of the stoves. The former one is also illustrated from U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,759 issued to Hammel et al. on Jun. 28, 1994 for “Sealed Burner Mounting Assembly” (the Hammel patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,621 issued to Gabelmann on Jan. 14, 2003 for “Sealed Gas Burner Assembly” (the Gabelmann patent) (see FIGS. 1 and 2, and illustration in the section of Description of this Application).

From the above illustration of the existing technologies on structural components of the cooking stoves, it has been discovered that there is absence of an apparatus in use of regulating the flame heat transfer from a burner of the gas stove to an utensil in cooking. The apparatus is removably placed onto the stove cooktop to surround an upper section of the gas burner and support the utensil. Therefore, heat radiation and convection generated by flame of the gas burner can be well regulated, which are maximally directed to efficiently heat the utensil in cooking. For this purpose, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/811,521 (the '521 application) has disclosed an invented removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus, which is used to surround the upper section of a burner and support an utensil. The '521 application further experimentally demonstrates that with the aid of the invented apparatus, it can significantly increase the flame heating efficiency in cooking, when the apparatus is incorporated with an existing stove burner having the laterally oriented conventional burner ports.

However, it will be appreciated that, application of the invented apparatus is only a passive solution in terms of achieving object to increase the heating efficiency. This means, what the invented apparatus can contribute is only to regulate the heat transfer from the flame that is already controlled by structures of the existing burners having the laterally orientated conventional burner ports.

Referring to the Jennings and Haneit patents, the existing gas burners in the western market provide the laterally oriented gas ports that are generally in a shape of the circular opening (see FIG. 1 of the Haneit patent) or rectangular aperture having upper and lower surface (see FIGS. 2 and 2 a of the Jennings patent). The orientations of the respective conventional burner ports are radially arranged in the respective transverse directions relative to the longitudinal orientation of the circular burner that is positioned. This results in a phenomenon that a mixture of the primary air and combustible gases under the supplied pressure is rushed to flow transversely out of the burner ports. In this situation, the flame kernels generated at the burner port outlets also flow in the respective transverse directions. Obviously, this phenomenon is most apparent in a situation when the mixed air-combustible gases at the maximum flow rate (or the maximum pressure) are provided to the burner ports, which is controlled by a user of the stove.

Referring further to FIGS. 2 and 2 a of the Jennings patent, there is illustrated that the top flame burns in an ascending direction, wherein the top flame is in distance to the outlet of a burner port. In this situation, the transverse flow of the mixture of the air and combustible gases is sharply weakened due to a quick dissipation of its supplied pressure when the combustible mixture is out of the outlet of the burner port.

As compared with the natural upward pattern when a flame burns, the flame pattern governed by the conventional burner ports is altered if there is an utensil positioned above the flame, which has been discussed in the '521 application. In that situation, the flame elongates in the respective transverse directions under the utensil bottom side. This is because that the bottom side of the utensil blocks the upward pathway of the top flame, which forces the flame positioned under the utensil to transversely extend more for escaping.

In the situation when the maximum flow rate (or pressure) of the combustible mixture is supplied, such flame transverse elongation that also reaches the maximum extend will bring two major disadvantages even after applying the apparatus, which negatively affect the heating efficiency in cooking of utensils having the most popularly and probably used sizes ranging from 15 cm to 20 cm in diameters.

First, a part of the heat of the top flame, which is represented by the radiated heat and convected heat, will be escaped through the gap between the bottom of the utensil and top of the apparatus before the heat could reach the utensil. This results in losing the thermal energy. Such energy loss is absolutely happened since the apparatus having fixed sizes practically cannot accommodate every specific situations in cooking, including the maximum flow rate of the combustible mixture. In fact, the sizes of the apparatus including the diameter of the top circumference of the inner shell are designed from considering overall effect in application of the apparatus, which includes convenience of usage, ability to fit utensils having the respective popularly and probably used sizes, and energy savings.

Second, majority of the top flame is moved outwardly to contact areas of the bottom side of the utensil, wherein the contacted areas are more towards the outer circumference of the utensil bottom side. This causes a larger area of the “cold spot” on the utensil bottom side. In addition, the flame elongation will further enhance a chilling effect of the flame, if the bottom side of the utensil is positioned higher than a position that the top flame can reach. The chilling effect is also negative to the object of achieving a high heating efficiency in cooking since the top flame that has the highest temperature cannot directly contact the utensil bottom side.

Following the above disclosed first reason of losing thermal energy, it will be appreciated that besides the factor of the burner ports aligning with the respective transverse orientations, an additional factor of extra large sizes of the (outer) flame rings can also cause losing the thermal energy in cooking even the burner ports of the respective extra large sized flame rings are arranged in the upward orientation. In the above conclusion, the extra large sizes of the flame rings are identified as they are not proportional to the diametrical sizes of the respective heat transfer regulating apparatus and the utensils that are most popularly and probably used. For example, most burners of the gas stoves in the Asian market including the Chinese market have a dual flame-ring configuration including a smaller central ring and a larger outer flame ring, wherein the outer flame rings include the laterally oriented gas ports in the round and rectangular shapes or upward gas ports of linear slots. However, the outer flame rings are usually very large, which the maximum diameters could be 12.5 cm. In that situation, losing thermal energy absolutely happens in cooking.

Therefore, for further improving the heating efficiency in cooking, the present invention must address burner flame (outer) rings having improved burner ports and optimum sizes, which are incorporated with the heat transfer regulating apparatus to best fit utensils having the most popularly and probably used sizes. The improved burner ports have structure for angularly directing the combustible gas flow and securing good stabilities of the flame kernels generated at outlets of the improved burner ports for prevent lifting or backlash of the kernels.

Obviously changing the burner ports including their orientations and defining the optimum sizes of the flame rings are active solutions in terms of increasing the heating efficiency as compared with the passive solution from adding the heat transfer regulating apparatus, which the '521 application has already disclosed. Therefore, the present invention will bring a total solution for increasing the heating efficiency of the flame in cooking.

Further, the present invention will additionally address alternative materials having the respective large heat capacities, which can be used to manufacture the apparatus for bringing an additional positive factor to increase the heating efficiency in cooking.

Gas stoves are popularly used in human society. The usage of the gas stoves consumes tremendous amount of combustible gases, and also generates significant amount of carbon dioxide gases which are of total green house gases generated by the human society. Therefore, there is a significant need of the present invention, which can provide a removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner of a gas stove having improved burner ports and an appropriate sized (outer) flame ring to significantly increase the heating efficiency according to various used gas flow rates in cooking, wherein the invention results in reduction of the combustible gas consumption for the cost reduction and reduction of the green house gas production for the environmental protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus including an inner hollow shell and outer wall incorporated with a burner having a plurality of improved burner ports for a gas stove to increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking.

The inner hollow shell is an ascending wall having a top opening with a larger sized top circumference and a bottom opening with a smaller sized circumference. A plurality of air passages of openings are therethrough the shell, wherein the air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of the shell, as compared with the air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of the shell. In a preferred embodiment, the shell is in the concave including parabolic shape.

The outer wall has multiple extensions projecting upwardly that are spaced on a top of the wall. A plurality of air passages are evenly distributed therethrough the wall. In addition, a plurality of attachment means are placed on the wall, which are served to position the removable optional utensil supports for supporting the small sized utensils in cooking.

The inner shell and outer wall, which are in the round or symmetrical shape, can be made of durable metals or metal alloys. The apparatus can also be made of ceramics specifically for its high heat capacity and low thermal conductivity.

Both the inner hollow shell and outer wall are positioned onto the cooktop of a gas stove, wherein the inner hollow shell is further positioned to surround an upper section of a gas burner. The outer wall is positioned to surround the inner hollow shell and additionally support an utensil that is positioned on the upward extensions. In this configuration, one of the extensions of the outer wall is further served as a flame heat shield to prevent undesirable heating of a handle of the utensil in cooking.

Application of the flame heat regulating apparatus enables to increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking. The inner circularly concave hollow shell contributes to the increased heating efficiency through regulating the heat radiation and heat convection of the flame.

In regulating the flame heat radiation, the inner hollow shell reflects the radiated heat of the flame which is initially radiated outwardly and downwardly away from the utensil back to heat the utensil bottom side. In regulating the flame heat convection including air convection, the inner shell directs a secondary air having a lower temperature from surrounding areas of the flame to flow to the flame for involving in the flame combustion, wherein the secondary air mainly flows through the air passages more densely distributed through the lower part of the inner hollow shell. The inner shell additionally directs the air and exhaust gases in combustion having a higher temperature to flow upwardly to heat the utensil bottom side, wherein the air and exhaust gases that are both surrounded by the inner shell are forced to flow upwardly.

The outer wall that contributes to the increased heating efficiency is served as a thermal wall to block the radiated heat that is radiated outwardly from the inner hollow shell. The outer wall further provides a gap which is determined by the extensions for the flame exhaust gases and air having the higher temperature to flow outwardly and upwardly to heat the utensil outer side.

The upper section of the gas burner is comprised of a removable top round cap from the present invention and an upward hollow neck that is affixed to the cooktop. The hollow neck is comprised of a circular upward wall having a top ring and a central upward opening for passing a mixture of the combustible gases and primary air. The cap is comprised of a transverse top, which is connected to a downward circular wall to thereby form an inner recess. The circular wall has an outer circular side, an inner circular side and a bottom transverse ring, wherein the bottom ring of the cap matches the top ring of the upward neck.

A plurality of identical downward slots from the present invention are circumferentially and radially spaced to cross the cap bottom ring. Each identical slot is comprised of a larger expanded section having an ascending interior top of surface and a larger outward opening, which is connected to a smaller section having a smaller inward opening. The larger outward opening is positioned on the outer circular side of the cap side wall. The smaller inward opening is positioned on the inner circular side of the cap wall for connecting to the inner recess.

When the top cap is positioned to mate the burner neck, it turns the multiple identical downward slots on the cap to the respective improved burner ports from the present invention, wherein the outward larger openings of the respective slots are outlets of the respective burner ports, and the inward smaller openings are the respective burner port inlets. Each improved burner port of the opening is comprised of a larger expanded section connected to a smaller section. The smaller section is served as a nozzle oriented in a transverse direction for passing the combustible mixture at a higher speed. The larger expanded section directs the mixture flowing at a lower speed along the ascending orientation of the top to thereby form a stable flame kernel, when the mixture having the lower speed is ignited at the outlet of the burner port.

The stable flame kernel burns aligning with an angle of the ascending top of the expanded section to thereby form a flame aligning with the same ascending angle. The flame burning is further supported by the secondary air from the surrounding areas of the flame after its passing through the air passages of the apparatus. Therefore, a top of the flame, which has the highest temperature, directly contacts a bottom side of the utensil to significantly increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking.

The top cap from the present invention is further comprised of a sideward circumferential protrusion having an ascending circular bottom side, which is positioned on the cap outer side to align with the top of the cap, wherein the bottom side of the protrusion is aligned with the ascending tops of the respective burner ports. In addition, a downward circular slot is positioned at a joint when the protrusion is connected to the outer wall of the cap. The protrusion is designed to prevent distinction of the flame when there is liquid dropping in cooking. The circular slot is served to stabilize flame kernels, which are ignited in the presence of the combustible mixture at the minimized supplied flow rate that is selected by a user of the stove.

In another embodiment, the nozzles of the respective improved burner ports from the present invention are positioned to have an angle ranging from a zero-degree to a 90-degree relative to the respective transverse directions.

The present invention also practically defines an optimum diameter 19 cm of the top circumference of the shell and a maximum diameter 8 cm of a circumference that is aligned with outlets of the respective burner ports of a flame (outer) ring, wherein they are correlated to an optimum distance ranging from 2.5 cm to 3 cm between the outlets and the bottom side of an utensil having an optimum diametrical size ranging from 15 cm to 20 cm.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a total solution for a gas stove to increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking, wherein the solution is application of a flame heat transfer regulating apparatus including an inner hollow shell and outer wall that is incorporated with a burner having a plurality of improved burner ports.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide the inner hollow shell that is an ascending wall, which extends upwardly and outwardly from a bottom circumference of opening having a smaller size to a top circumference of opening having a larger size, wherein a plurality of air passages are therethrough. The air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of the inner hollow shell, as compared with the air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of the inner hollow shell. In a preferred embodiment, the shell is in the concave including parabolic shape. The shell is positioned on the cooktop of a stove to surround an upper section of a burner. Therefore, the inner circularly concave hollow shell contributes to the increased heating efficiency through regulating the flame heat radiation and convection.

It is an another object of the present invention to provide an outer wall having multiple extensions projecting upwardly that are spaced on a top of the wall, a plurality of air passages that are evenly distributed therethrough the wall and a plurality of attachment means that are positioned on the wall to affix optional utensil supports for supporting small sized utensils in cooking. The outer wall contributes to the increased heating efficiency from being a thermal wall to block the radiated heat that is radiated outwardly from the inner hollow shell. The outer wall further provides a gap for the flame exhaust gases and air having a higher temperature to flow outwardly and upwardly to heat outer sides of the utensils.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the apparatus including the inner shell and outer wall having a round or symmetrical shape, wherein the apparatus can be made of durable metals and metal alloys in addition to ceramics specifically for its high heat capacity and low thermal conductivity.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a burner having multiple improved burner ports of openings that are circumferentially spaced on an upper section of the burner. Each of the identical burner ports is comprised of a larger expanded section having an outlet and ascending interior top of surface, which is connected to a smaller section having an inlet. The smaller section is served as a nozzle oriented in a transverse direction for passing a combustible mixture at a higher speed. The larger expanded section directs the mixture flowing at a lower speed along the ascending orientation of the top to thereby form a stable flame kernel, when the mixture having the lower speed is ignited at the outlet of the larger expanded section of the improved burner port of the present invention.

It is a further additional object of the present invention to provide a burner having multiple improved burner ports of openings, wherein each identical burner port is comprised of a larger expanded section having an ascending interior top of surface, which is connected to a smaller constant section that is served as a nozzle for passing the combustible mixture at a higher speed. The nozzle is oriented to align with an angle ranging from a zero-degree to a 90-degree relative to a transverse direction, which correlates change of the burner port locations from the side wall to the top of the upper section of the burner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sideward circumferential protrusion having an ascending circular bottom side, which is positioned on the outer side of the burner upper section to align with the section top end, wherein the protrusion bottom side is aligned with the ascending tops of the respective burner ports. In addition, a downward circular slot is positioned at a joint when the protrusion is connected to a circular wall of the burner. The protrusion is designed to prevent distinction of the flame when there is liquid dropping in cooking. The circular slot is served to stabilize flame kernels, which are ignited in the presence of the combustible mixture at a minimum flow rate.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an optimum diameter 19 cm of the top circumference of the shell and a maximum diameter 8 cm of a circumference that is aligned with outlets of the respective burner ports of a flame (outer) ring, wherein they are correlated to an optimum distance ranging from 2.5 cm to 3 cm between the outlets and the bottom side of an utensil having an optimum diametrical size ranging from 15 cm to 20 cm.

Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a prior art cooktop including individual grates from a gas stove having a sealed burner mounting assembly, where the figure illustrates absence of a flame heat transfer regulating apparatus that could be placed on the cooktop to surround the upper section of a burner and support an utensil;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of another prior art cooktop including an extended grate from a gas stove having a sealed gas burner assembly, where the figure illustrates absence of a flame heat transfer regulating apparatus that could be placed on the cooktop to surround the upper section of a burner and support an utensil;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus having an inner circularly arcuate shell, an outer square wall and optional utensil supports according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view to illustrate the inner circularly arcuate shell, outer square wall and optional cookware supports according to the first embodiment of the present invention removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus;

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of another preferred optional utensil supports of the outer square wall for the first embodiment of the present invention removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus;

FIG. 4B is a top plan view of additional preferred optional utensil supports of the outer square wall for the first embodiment of the present invention removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a burner region of a stove cooktop including a cross-section view of the right half of the first embodiment of the apparatus to illustrate application of the apparatus, which surrounds an upper section of the burner. For a better presentation, FIG. 5 only shows a right side of the flame, the air flow and exhaust gas flow, which are represented by evenly spaced dotted lines. In addition, FIG. 5 does not show the whole structure of the burner including a part of the structure that is served to mix the primary air and supplied combustible gases;

FIG. 6 a perspective view of a removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view to illustrate a structural variation of an upward plate of the outer square wall, wherein at least one post projecting downwardly is positioned on the bottom side of the upward plate;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a gas burner having improved burner ports from the present invention. For simplification, the figure only illustrates an upper section of the burner, which is positioned on the cooktop of a gas stove;

FIG. 8A is enlarged partial sectional view in FIG. 8 illustrating the identical improved burner ports of the present invention, which are circumferentially and radially spaced to cross a bottom ring of a top cap that is a part of the burner upper section;

FIG. 8B is enlarged partial sectional view of the top cap illustrating the structural variation of the identical improved burner ports from the present invention;

FIG. 8C is enlarged partial sectional view of the top cap illustrating another structural variation of the identical improved burner ports of the present invention, wherein the upward ports are circumferentially and radially spaced on a top of the cap; and

FIG. 8D is enlarged partial sectional view to illustrate the structural variation on the cap, wherein a circular sideward protrusion is circumferentially positioned on the cap side wall from the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.

Disclosure of the present invention includes two sections. The first section is related to an invented apparatus for regulating the heat transfer of the flame generated by a gas burner having the laterally oriented conventional burner ports. The first section is consistent with the disclosure of the '521 application. The second section is related to a burner having improved burner ports and appropriate sized (outer) flame ring, which is incorporated with the apparatus. Therefore, the present invention provides a total solution for a gas stove to increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking.

(I) The Flame Heat Transfer Regulating Apparatus

Reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates well known cooktops of the modern gas stoves as the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated main cooktop 14 of a gas stove having a sealed burner mounting assembly and two individual grates 44 which are positioned to cove the respective two of four burners 38 on the cooktop 14. FIG. 1 is a copy of FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,759 to Hammel et al. for “Sealed Burner Mounting Assembly”, from which FIG. 1 copies all of the reference numbers presented in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a top plan view of a cooktop having an extended grate. FIG. 2 is a copy of FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,621 to Gabelmann for “Sealed Gas Burner Assembly”. FIG. 2 also copies all the reference numbers in FIG. 2 of the Gabelmann patent. Reference to FIG. 2 illustrates that an extended removable grate 40 is provided on the cooktop 32 to extend from the front to the back with a plurality of fingers 42 for supporting cook pans or the like utensils above a front gas burner 36 and a back gas burner 36.

From illustration in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the prior art cooktops of the gas stoves, it has been discovered that there is absence of a flame heat transfer regulating apparatus. The apparatus can be removably positioned onto the stove cooktop to surround an upper section of a gas burner for increasing heating efficiency of the flame, supporting a kitchen utensil, and preventing undesirable heating of a handle of the utensil in cooking. It will be appreciated that heat transfer from the flame of the burner to the utensil relies on the flame heat radiation and heat convection. Therefore with the aid of the flame heat transfer regulating apparatus of the present invention, the heat radiation and convection of the flame can be well regulated so that the utensil can be efficiently heated. Therefore, the present invention can reach the object to significantly increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, there is illustrated removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus from a first preferred embodiment 100 of the present invention. The apparatus 100 is comprised of an inner circularly arcuate hollow shell 102 and an outer square wall 130, which are both placed onto a stove cooktop 166. The inner hollow shell 102 is positioned to surround the upper section 178 of a gas burner. The outer square wall 130 is positioned to surround the inner shell 102 and support an utensil 168 having a bottom side 174, wherein the utensil 168 is placed above the burner.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the inner hollow shell 102 is a circular ascending arcuate wall, comprising an outer surface 106, an inner surface 108, a top opening with the top circumference 110 and a bottom opening with the bottom circumference 112. The hollow shell 102 from its bottom circumference 112 extends upwardly and outwardly to end the top circumference 110. Therefore, the top circumference 110 is larger than the bottom circumference 112, wherein both circumferences are aligned with a rotational axis 114 of the shell 102. As additionally illustrated, the inner circularly arcuate hollow shell 102 is configured to be concave when viewed the shell along a direction from the rotational axis 114 to the shell inner surface 108. In a preferred embodiment the inner hollow shell 102 is parabolic in shape.

It will be appreciated that, the concave including the parabolic shape of the shell 102 is designed from the spirit and scope of the present invention for regulating the flame heat radiation, and the flame heat convection including the air convection.

The concave including the parabolic shaped circular shell 102 enables to reflect the outward and downward heat radiation, which is initially radiated by the flame away from the utensil, back to heat the utensil bottom side 174. In above illustration, the outward and downward directions of the heat radiation from the flame are defined relative to the horizontal orientation of the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168 which is placed above the burner.

It will be appreciated that the heat radiation from the flame is towards every angular directions in the three-dimensional space. Therefore, the flame which is positioned under the bottom of the utensil has a part of the heat radiation, which is outward and downward away from the utensil. This means that the part of the heat radiation is not used to heat the utensil. In the presence of the present invention inner circularly concave shell 102, the heat radiated outwardly and downwardly from the flame can be regulated reflecting back to heat the utensil 168. This is one of reasons to achieve a higher heating efficiency in cooking from the present invention, as compared with a lower heating efficiency of the prior art cooktops of the gas stoves without having the inner hollow shells.

The inner hollow shell 102 is further illustrated in FIG. 4 to comprise a plurality of air passages 116 of openings therethrough, wherein the air passages 116 are divided into first and second groups. The air passages 116 in the first group are circumferentially spaced aligning with an upper circumference 118 of the shell 102 which is adjacent the top circumference 110. The air passages 116 in the second group are also circumferentially spaced aligning with a lower circumference 120 of the shell 102 adjacent the bottom circumference 112. However, the air passages 116 are not evenly distributed in the groups.

Such uneven distribution of the air passages is illustrated in FIG. 4 from a distance “A” between two adjacent air passages 116 aligning with the lower circumference 120 and a distance “B” between two adjacent air passages 116 aligning with the upper circumference 118, wherein the distance “A” is shorter that the distance “B”. Therefore, the air passages 116 are more densely distributed to a lower part of the shell 102 adjacent the bottom circumference 112, as compared with the air passages 116 which are less densely distributed to an upper part of the shell 102 adjacent the top circumference 108.

It will be appreciated that from the above illustrated preferred embodiment that serves as an example, the present invention discloses a general structural characteristics of the uneven air passage distribution of the shell 102. Such characteristics is particularly designed to regulate the heat convection of the flame in cooking, wherein the heat convection is based on the air convection which is taken place in space including surrounding areas of the flame and the areas occupied by the flame.

The air with a lower temperature has a heavier density, which occupies a lower part of the space adjacent the flame. In contrast, the air with a higher temperature has a lighter density, which occupies the upper part of the space including the areas where the flame is located. Such density difference causes a natural air convection pattern of the flame. A colder air having the lower temperature, which is positioned in the surrounding areas of the flame, flows to the flame for involving in the flame combustion through a path which occupies a lower part of the space. A hotter air having the higher temperature which is positioned in the upper part of the space flows upwardly away from the flame. Therefore, the densely distributed air passages 116 on the lower part of the circularly arcuate shell 102 will provide a less flow resistance for the air with the lower temperature to flow towards the upper section 178 of the burner, wherein the air having oxygen served as a secondary air is necessary for combustion of the mixture of the combustive gases and primary air to form the flame.

Referring again to FIG. 4, there is illustrated outer square wall 130, comprising four identical upward plates 132 having a height “H2”, an exterior side 134 and an interior side 136. The upward plates 132 are connected to one another to form the outer wall 130 having a top square transverse side 138, a bottom square transverse side 140, and a central symmetric axis 142. As further illustrated, a plurality of air passages 144 of openings are evenly distributed through each plate 132 of the wall 130. It will be appreciated that from the spirit and scope of the present invention that includes to regulate the air convection, a number of the air passages 144 therethrough the square wall 130 will be more than a number of the air passages 116 of the inner circular hollow shell 102. This results in a combined area of the openings on the wall, which is larger than a combined area of the openings on the shell.

Referring additionally to FIG. 4, each upward plate 132 at the middle position of the top transverse side 138 is comprised of an extension 146 projecting upwardly. The upward extension 146 is comprised of a transverse top end 152, first and second upward sides 148 and 150 having an identical height “H3”. As illustrated, the height “H3” of the upward sides 148 and 150 is shorter than the height “H2” of the upward plates 132. In addition, the length of the top end 152 is generally longer that the length of the upward sides 148 and 150, so that the extension 146 can be served as a heat shield. In another embodiment, instead of all the upward extensions having the long top ends, only one extension 146 has the long top end 152, which is served as the heat shield.

It will be appreciated that the upward extension 146 served as the heat shield can block an outward heat flow from a flame which is towards the extension 146. The outward heat flow could turn to an upward heat flow if there is absence of the extension 146, so that the upward heat flow can heat an object, which is positioned above the flame and further vertically aligned with the upward heat flow. Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 5, the upward extension 146 can prevent undesirable heating of a handle 170 of the utensil 168, where the utensil is positioned on the top ends 152 of the extensions 146 of the outer square wall 130, and the handle 170 is positioned to vertically align with the center of the extension top end 152. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the extensions 146 from the present invention is designed to further support the utensil 168 having the flat bottom side 174 such as a pan, or having a convex shaped bottom side such as a wok.

Referring further to FIG. 4, there is illustration that a first group of an upper hook 162 and a lower hook 164 or attachment means are positioned on the interior side 136 of each identical plate 132 of the square wall 130, wherein two hooks 162 and 164 are aligned with the first upward side 148 of the identical extension 146. In addition, the upper hook 162 is positioned adjacent the top transverse side 138 and the lower hook 164 is positioned adjacent the bottom transverse side 140 of the outer square wall 130. Similarly, a second group of an upper hook 163 and a lower hook 165 or attachment means are positioned on the interior side 136 of each identical plate 132, which are aligned with the second upward side 150 of the extension 146. Further, the upper hook 163 is positioned adjacent the top side 138 and the lower hook 16 is positioned adjacent the bottom side 140 of the square wall 130.

It will be appreciated that the hooks are designed to affix first and second identical optional utensil supports 154 and 156 onto the square wall 130, so that a small sized utensil can be placed on the optional supports 154 and 156. The first optional utensil support 154 is illustrated in FIG. 4 to be in a generally inverted “U” shape, comprising a top transverse section 154 a, and identical first and second downward sections 154 b and 154 c. The optional utensil supports can be made with flat metal strips or round metal rods.

When in use of the support 154, the first downward section 154 b is inserted into the first group of the upper and lower hooks 162 and 164 of the first identical plate 132, and the second downward section 154 c is inserted into the second group of the upper and lower hooks 163 and 165 of the second identical plate 132. As illustrated, the second identical plate 132 is adjacent the first identical plate 132 in the clockwise direction relative to the symmetric axis 142, and the first and second identical plates 132 are connected at a 90-degree angle. In this setting, the top transverse side 154 a of the first optional utensil support 154 and the top sides 138 of the first and second identical plates 130 adjacent each other forms an isosceles right angled triangle, wherein the top transverse side 154 a is the hypotenuse side.

Similarly, the second optional utensil support 156 can be affixed. This results in that the top transverse side 154 a of the first optional support 154 and the top transverse side 156 a of the second optional utensil support 156 are in parallel and have a short distance in between. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the distance is shorter, as compared with a longer distance between two oppositely positioned upward plates 132 of the square wall 130. Therefore, a small sized pan can be conveniently placed onto two transverse top sides 154 a and 156 a of the respective first and second optional supports 154 and 156.

It will be appreciated that with the presence of the first group of the upper and lower hooks 162 and 164 or attachment means, and second group of the upper and lower hooks 163 and 165 or attachment means on each upward plate 132, various variations of the optional supports can be formed, which are illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

Referring to FIG. 4A, there is illustrated another preferred configuration of the optional supports of the square wall 130, comprising four identical, generally inverted “U” shaped supports 157, 158, 159 and 160. Each identical optional support 157 is comprised of a top transverse section 157 a, the identical first and second downward sections (both not shown). When in use of the optional support 157, the first downward section is inserted into the second group of the upper hook 163 and lower hook (not shown) of the first identical plate 132, and the second downward section is inserted into the first group of the upper hook 162 and lower hook (not shown) of the second identical plate 132. In this setting, the top transverse side 157 a of the first support 157 and the top sides 138 of the first and second identical plate 132 adjacent each other form an isosceles right angled triangle at the north-west corner of the square wall 130, wherein the top side 157 a is the hypotenuse side of the isosceles right angled triangle.

Following the similar procedure, the top transverse side 158 a of the second identical support 158 is the hypotenuse side of the isosceles right angled triangle at the north-east corner of the square wall 130. Similarly, the top transverse side 159 a of the third identical support 159 is at the south-east corner, and the top transverse side 160 a of the fourth identical support 160 is at the south-west corner of the square wall 130. Therefore the top sections 157 a, 158 a, 159 a and 160 a form a square structure to support the small sized utensils.

Referring to FIG. 4B, there is illustrated additional preferred configuration of the optional supports of the square wall 130, comprising four identical, generally inverted “U” shaped supports 157′, 158′, 159′ and 160′. The configuration of the supports illustrated in FIG. 4B is identical to the configuration in FIG. 4A, except for the top transverse section 157′a of the identical optional support 157′ is a 90-degree bent structure, as compared with a straight transverse section 157 a of the identical optional support 157. Therefore, the top sections 157′a, 158′a, 159′a and 160′a form a generally hollow cross shaped structure to support the smaller sized utensils.

It will be appreciated that, although the above illustration including FIGS. 4, 4A and 4B discloses various variations of the optional utensil supports including the attachment means on each upward plate 132, the optional utensil supports including the attachment means are not limited in accordance with the spirit and scope of the present invention. In fact, any types of the optional utensil supports are appropriate if they are detachable, and are able to be affixed onto the square wall 130 by the attachment means for supporting utensils. In addition, the attachment means are able to be placed on both the interior and exterior sides of the outer wall. Furthermore, at least one attachment means is appropriate for each identical upward plate 132 according to the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Reference to FIG. 5 illustrates application of the first preferred embodiment 100 of the present invention removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus. The inner circularly concave hollow shell 102 is first positioned onto the cooktop 166 of the stove to surround the upper section 178 of the gas burner. The outer square wall 130 is second positioned onto the cooktop 166 to surround the inner shell 102, wherein the rotational axis 114 of the inner shell 102 is aligned with the symmetric axis 142 of the outer wall 130. They are further aligned with a center of a top cap 180 of the burner upper section 178, wherein a plurality of the laterally oriented burner ports 182 are circumferentially spaced on a side wall of the cap 180. The bottom side 174 of the utensil 168, which has a cylindrical outer side 176, is positioned onto the top end 152 of each extension 146 of the outer wall 130. In this setting, the top circumference 110 of the inner shell 102 is positioned higher than the cap 180 of the burner upper section 178. The top square side 138 of the outer wall 130 is positioned at least with the same height as the top circumference 110 of the inner circularly concave shell 102.

In addition, a gap 172 is sufficiently wide between the top side 138 of the square wall 130 and the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168, which is created by the extensions 146. The gap 172 permits that the hot exhaust gases from the flame and hot air flow freely, outwardly and upwardly along the utensil cylindrical outer side 176, which results in further heating the utensil. It will be appreciated that in the presence of the wide gap 172 it will not generate a back pressure for the hot gases. The back pressure could force the flame to burn out of the gap 172, so that the flame positioned outside of the square wall 130 cannot effectively heat the utensil 168. Therefore, the outer square wall 130 having a sufficient height of the upward extensions 146 is significant for increase of the heating efficiency in cooking.

It will be appreciated that from a theory of the flame, the top part of the flame has the highest temperature. The bottom part of the flame has the lowest temperature, where a kernel of the flame is positioned. Within the kernel of the flame, the combustion of the combustible mixture starts to take place in the presence of oxygen from the air. It will be further appreciated that according to the mechanical structure of the burner which is illustrated elsewhere, the flame kernel is connected to the outlet of a gas port of the burner, where the pressured combustible mixture flows out. It will be additionally appreciated that, from the air convection theory which is illustrated previously, the surrounding air having the lower temperature with the heavier density, which serves as the secondary air, flows through the path which occupies the lower part of the space to the bottom of the flame for involving in the combustion.

The first embodiment 100 of the present invention removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus is designed to exactly follow such well known flame theory to achieve a high heating efficiency in cooking through regulating the flame heat convection, in addition to regulate the heat radiation.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated air convection pattern which is regulated by the inner circular hollow shell 102. The air 190 having the lowest temperature as the secondary air flows from the surrounding areas 198 of the gas burner to a bottom part 188 of the flame 184 for involving in the gas combustion. The air 190 first passes through the air passages 144 of the outer square wall 130, and second mainly flows through the densely distributed air passages 116 adjacent the bottom circumference 112 of the circular shell 102.

A part of the air 190, which is involved in combustion with the combustible mixture 183 from the burner gas ports 182, becomes part of the flame 184, wherein the combustion which generates exhaust gases 189 continuously takes place to a top 186 of the flame 184. As illustrated, the top 186 of the flame 184 is under the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168. A part of the air 190 which is not involved in the combustion is then heated, and continuously flows up to be an air 196 having the same highest temperature as that of the top flame 186. In this situation, the hottest air 196 and the top flame 186 heat the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168. In addition, the hottest air 196 and the exhaust gases 189 from the top flame 186 flow outwardly throughout the gap 172 and continuously flow upwardly along the cylindrical outer side 176 of the utensil 168 away from the flame 184, which further heats the utensil 168 through heating its cylindrical outer side 176. Therefore, a high efficiency of heating in cooking can be achieved with such regulated heat convection, wherein the hottest air and exhaust gases flow mostly around the outer side 176 and the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168.

It will be appreciated that in above illustrated flame heat convection, the inner circularly concave hollow shell 102 contributes significantly to regulate the heat convection including the air convection. First, the densely distributed air passages on the lower part of the circularly arcuate shell 102 will provide a less flow resistance for the secondary air to the burner upper section 178, wherein the secondary air is necessary for combustion of the combustible gas-primary air mixture to form the flame. Second, the hot air and exhaust gases are surrounded by the inner circularly concave hollow shell 102, so that they are forced to flow upwardly to heat the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168. Then they continuously flow outwardly through the gap 172 to heat the outer side 176 of the utensil.

Such heat convection regulation is extremely important for achieving the high heating efficiency in cooking for the gas stove where there is a very limited height in space between the top cap 180 and the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168. In such setting, the pressured combustible gas-primary air mixture 183, which flow out of the burner ports 182, have a high speed and burn immediately with the oxygen in the secondary air, which generates the flame exhaust gases 189 having a high upward speed. However, the bottom side 174 of the utensil 168 blocks the upward air pathway for the hot gases including the exhaust gases 189 and air 196. In that situation, the normal heat convection pattern of the flame, which is illustrated previously, is disturbed so that a majority of the hot gases flow transversely and outwardly, in addition to a part of the hot gases possibly downwardly flowing towards the cooktop 166 of the stove if there is absence of the inner circularly concave hollow shell 102. This will result in a low efficiency of heating the utensil 168, as contrasted the high heating efficiency of the present invention.

It will be further appreciated that besides the above illustrated heat convection which is regulated by the inner shell 102, the sufficient wide gap 172, which is provided by the outer square wall 130, also contributes significantly since the sufficiently wide gap 172 provides the pathway, which promotes to achieve the regulated flame heat and air convection.

In addition to regulate the heat conviction, the first embodiment 100 of the present invention is further able to regulate the heat radiation from the flame 184, which is illustrated previously. Therefore, the regulated heat radiation also contributes a high heating efficiency in cooking.

It will be appreciated that, the heat radiation happens from an object having a higher temperature to surrounding areas having a lower temperature. Therefore, the outer surface 106 of the heated inner circularly concave hollow shell 102 also radiates the heat outwardly. However, with the presence of the outer square wall 130, which is positioned to surround the inner circular shell 102, the radiated heat from the outer surface 106 of the inner circular shell 102 is blocked by the outer square wall 130. Therefore the outer square wall 130 serves as a thermal wall to preserve the high temperature in the region around the upper section 178 of the burner, wherein the region is under the utensil 168. Therefore, the outer square wall 103 additionally contributes the high heating efficiency in cooking.

The above mechanistic illustration for the high heating efficiency in cooking can be proved by test results, which are illustrated in a section of EXAMPLE I of this Application.

It will be appreciated that, as compared with the structural features of the first embodiment 100 which have been disclosed above, various variations of the structural features are readily available. For example, a rolled bead or a rim can be added to the respective top and bottom circumference 110 and 112 of the inner shell 102 to enhance its mechanical strength. In addition, the inner shell 102 is not limited to be in round shape. In fact, any symmetrical shape is appropriate for the inner shell 102. For example, the circularly concave hollow shell can be in a shape having multiple sides, such as a square, pentagonal and hexagonal shape. For the same reason, the outer square wall 130 also can be in any symmetrical shape, as compared with the square shape disclosed above.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is illustrated upward plate 132′ having structural variations, as compared with the structure of the upward plate 132 from the first preferred embodiment 100 of the present invention. At least one post 139 projecting downwardly is placed on the bottom side 140′ of each upward plate 132′. The post 139 is used to support the upward plate 132′. Therefore, an outer square wall is also supported, which is assembled with four identical upward plate 132′. In addition, a high-temperature rubber member 141 can be placed on the bottom of each post 139 so that the smooth top surface of the cooktop 166 can be protected.

The heat transfer regulating apparatus 100 including the inner circularly arcuate shell 102 and outer square wall 130 is preferably made of durable metals and metal alloys including iron and steel. In addition, appropriate surface treatments including coatings can be applied to the inner and outer surface 108 and 106 of the shell 102, which enhance regulation of the heat convection and heat radiation, and the durability of the apparatus 100. The coatings are included those from chemical and electrochemical treatments and the ceramic coating as well, which have a preferred white or black color. Similarly, the surface treatments also can be applied to the exterior and interior surface 134 and 136 of the outer square wall 130.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated second preferred embodiment 200 of the present invention heat transfer regulating apparatus for the burner of the gas stove, comprising an inner circularly concave hollow shell 202 and an outer circular wall 230.

It will be appreciated that the inner circularly arcuate hollow shell 202 is identical to the inner circularly arcuate shell 102 of the first embodiment 100. Therefore, a disclosure of the structural features of the inner shell 202 will not repeated. These structural features are designated with three-digit numerals, wherein the part numbers are the same with the addition of a “200” to the part numbers to differentiate those same features in the embodiment 200.

As illustrated, the outer circular wall 230 includes a height “H12”, an exterior side 234, an interior side 236, a top circumference 238, a bottom circumference 240, and a rotational axis 242 which is aligned with a rotational axis 214 of the inner hollow shell 202. As further illustrated, a plurality of air passages 244 are evenly distributed therethrough the outer wall 230. It will be appreciated that from the spirit and scope of the present invention, a number of the air passages 244 therethrough the outer wall 230 are more than the number of the air passages 216 of the inner circular shell 202.

The circular upward wall 230 is further comprised of at least three identical upward extensions 246 projecting upwardly from the top side 238, wherein they are circumferentially spaced on the top side. The extension 246 is comprised of a transverse top end 252, first and second upward sides 248 and 250 having an identical height “H13”. However, the height “H13” of the upward sides 248 and 250 is designed to be shorter than the height “H12” of the round wall 230, and the length of the top end 252 is generally longer that the length of the upward sides 248 and 250.

It will be appreciated that the identical extensions 246 of the present invention are designed to have a triple-function. The first one is to support an utensil having a flat bottom side such as the pan, or having a convex shaped bottom side such as the wok. The second one is to provide a gap which is the pathway for the outward and upward heat flow of the flame exhaust gases and air. The third one is to shield an undesirable upward heat flow for preventing a handle of the utensil to be heated. It will be appreciated that at least three extensions 246 are appropriate for supporting the utensil having a flat bottom or a curved bottom.

Referring further to FIG. 6, there is illustration that a first group of an upper hook 262 and a lower hook (not shown) or attachment means are positioned on the interior side 236 of the outer wall 230. The hooks are positioned in parallel with and rightward adjacent a vertical linear position 247, wherein the vertical linear position is aligned with a middle position of the extension 246. In addition, the upper hook 262 is adjacent the top side 238 and the lower hook is adjacent the bottom side 240 of the outer wall 230. Similarly, a second group of an upper hook 263 and a lower hook (not shown) or attachment means are placed on the interior side 236 of the outer wall 230 in parallel with and leftward adjacent the position 247. The upper hook 263 is adjacent the top side 238 and the lower hook is adjacent the bottom side 240 of the wall 230.

The attachment means including hooks are designed on the circular wall 230 to affix three identical optional utensil supports 256, 258 and 260, so that an utensil having a small size can be placed on the optional cookware supports for cooking. The first identical optional utensil support 256 is illustrated in FIG. 6 to be in a generally inverted “U” shape, comprising a top transverse section 256 a, an identical first downward section 256 b and a second downward section (not shown).

When in use of the first optional supports 256, the first downward section 256 b is inserted into the second group of the upper and lower hooks which are leftward adjacent the vertical linear position 247 of the first identical extension 246. The second downward section of the support 256 is inserted into the first group of the upper and lower hooks which are rightward adjacent the line 247 of the second identical extension 246. The second identical extension is in clockwise adjacent the first identical extension. Similarly, the second and third optional supports 258 and 260 can be affixed. Therefore, the top transverse sides 256 a, 258 a and 260 a of the respective first, second and third identical supports 256, 258 and 260 form an equilateral triangle, so that a small sized pan can be conveniently placed onto the top of the triangle for cooking.

It will be appreciated that, from placing the attachment means adjacent the vertical linear position 247 of the outer wall 230, the smallest equilateral triangle can be achieved, so that an even smaller sized utensil can be supported by the top of the smallest equilateral triangular supports. However, from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the attachment means can be placed to any positions on the outer wall 230, so long as the utensil optional supports can be supported by the attachment means. It will be further appreciated that with the presence of the first and second group of the upper and lower attachment means, various variations of the optional supports can be formed. One of them is similar to the configuration of the supports illustrated in FIG. 4B, which will not be repeated again. It will be additionally appreciated that each group of the attachments is comprised of at least one attachment.

EXAMPLE I

The following are examples of the present invention flame heat transfer regulating apparatus for the burner upper structure of the gas stove, which are offered by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation and restriction.

(1) Construction of the Heat Transfer Regulating Apparatus:

A flame heat transfer regulating apparatus was constructed following the illustration which is disclosed for the embodiment 100 of the present invention, comprising an inner circularly concave hollow shell 102 and an outer square wall 130. The inner hollow shell 102 was comprised of a top circumference 110 having a diameter of approximately 19.2 cm, a bottom circumference 112 having a diameter of approximately 7.3 cm, and a height of 3 cm between the top and bottom circumference.

Two groups of holes served as the air passages 116 were drilled through the circularly concave shell 102 with a diameter of approximately 6 mm for each air passage 116. The air passages 116 in the first group were circumferentially spaced along an upper circumference 118 having a diameter of approximately 18.2 cm that was adjacent the top circumference 110, wherein two adjacent passages 116 were separated with approximately 3 cm. The upper circumference 118 was approximately 1 cm lower than the top circumference 110. The air passages 116 in the second group were circumferentially spaced along a lower circumference 120 having a diameter of approximately 15 cm, wherein the lower circumference 120 was positioned approximately 0.7 cm higher that the bottom circumference 112 which is positioned. In second group, two adjacent air passages were separated with approximately 1.5 cm.

The outer square wall 130 was constructed as illustrated in FIG. 4, comprising four identical upward plates 132 which were connected to one another. Each upward plate 132 had a length of 21 cm and a height “H2” of 4.2 cm. An extension 146 had a top side 152 of 4 cm and the identical first and second upward sides 148 and 150 with a height “H3” of 1.8 cm. The extension 146 was positioned upwardly at the center of a top transverse side 138 of each upward plate 132. Therefore, the maximum height of the upward plate 132 was 6 cm.

A plurality of air passages 144 having a diameter approximately 5 mm are evenly distributed therethrough each identical plate 132. The air passages 144 were constructed, which form a matrix pattern having twelve columns and three rows on each identical upward plate 132. In addition, attachments 162,164,163 and 165 were constructed according to the illustration of FIG. 4. Two identical optional supports 154 and 156, which were made with round iron rods for supporting a small sized cookware, was affixed to the square wall 130.

(2) Installation of the Flame Heat Transfer Regulating Apparatus onto the Gas Stove Cooktop:

A gas stove cooktop having the recessed surface, which was similar to the cooktop illustrated in FIG. 2, was used for the experiments. The cooktop contained upper sections 178 of four respective round gas burners with the sealed gas burner assemblies and two extended removable grates. Each burner upper section had only a flame ring. A plurality of the laterally oriented rectangularly shaped burner ports 182 were circumferentially spaced on the side wall of the top cap 180 that is a part of the ring. For positioning each upper section of the gas burner, there is a round protrusion as a part of the recessed surface of the cooktop, wherein a neck of the burner upper section was positioned at the center of the round protrusion which has an approximately diameter of 12 cm and a height of 1 cm. The two extended grates were extended from the front to the back of the cooktop. Each of which was placed over a front gas burner and a rear gas burner to support two utensils. The height was 6 cm from the top of the grate to the recessed surface of the cooktop, which was equal to the maximum height of each identical upward plate 132 of the square wall 130.

After removing the right side extended gate, the inner circularly concave shell 102 at its bottom circumference 112 was positioned onto the round protrusion to surround the upper section 178 of a right front gas burner. The outer square wall 130 was then positioned on the recessed surface of the cooktop 166 to surround the inner shell 102, wherein the installation was exactly followed by the illustration in FIG. 5. The height of the burner cap 180 was 1 cm above the round protrusion, which was lower than the height 3 cm of the top circumference 110 of the inner shell 102 relative to the round protrusion. In addition, the top circumference 110 of the inner shell 102, which had the height 4 cm relative to the recessed surface of the cooktop 166, was positioned lower than the top square transverse side 138 of the square wall 130, which has the height 4.2 cm.

(3) Experimental Conditions:

a. References and Tested samples: times needed to boil an amount of water were served as References from using the commercial cooktop to heat the water, wherein the commercial cooktop is illustrated in above section (2). The water was retained inside of an utensil which was placed on the top of the extended grate of the commercial cooktop. Times needed to boil the same amount of water from the setting which is illustrated in FIG. 5 of the present invention were served as the Tested samples, wherein the water was retained inside of the same utensil. The Tested samples were compared with the References from which to judge if the present invention achieved the scope of increased heating efficiency in cooking.

b. Combustive gas flow rates: The right-front burner on the cooktop was chosen for the experiments. A minimum gas flow rate was used to produce a weak flame, according to a mark “LO” of the commercial cooktop. The mark “LO” is an indication of the maximum turning angle of a gas control knob of the commercial gas stove. The weak flame was kept to burn when the experiments were idle. Using this procedure, the gas burner including the surrounding area of the cooktop was kept to be the same temperature before testing the References and Tested samples. In testing, a medium turning angle of the gas flow rate control knob was used, according to a mark “5”. An additional arrow was drawn on the knob for precisely aligning with the mark “5” on the cooktop. Therefore, a consistent turned angle was used in the experiments, which resulted in the same gas flow rate for generating the flame to obtain the References and Tested samples. In addition, the experiments was taken placed after 10 p.m. of the night in the same day so that variation on the supplied pressure of the city combustible gases was considered to be the minimum.

c. Testing medium: the tap water was used as the testing medium. The water which was collected into a first, second and third large containers was stored in a storage room at least 24 hours before the experiment. The purpose of the water storage is for equalizing the temperature of the water in three containers, when the water was initially collected from the running tap water. The temperature of the water in the three containers was measured multiple times during the entire experiments before the water was used.

The tap water was collected into three big containers for the following purposes. The water in the first big container was for first equalizing the temperature of an empty utensil which was used as the water container in the experiments. In a process to equalize the temperature of the utensil, the empty utensil was first rinsed by the running tap water, and second was submerged into the water of the first container for a while. After that, the water inside of the utensil was completely poured back to the first container for a reuse purpose in the entire experiments. The water in the second big container was for second equalizing the temperature of the empty utensil. After twice of equalizing the temperature, the utensil was used for collecting the water which was retained in the third extra large container. The water inside of the utensil was going to be heated in the experiment.

d. Utensil: two utensils were used in the tests. The first one was a standard stainless steel round tea kettle having a flat bottom side with a diameter of approximately 19.3 cm. The kettle had a steam whistle at the top of a mouth connected to the body of the kettle. The kettle was chosen to represent as a smaller sized utensil. In testing, the kettle was placed on the top of the optional utensil supports as illustrated in FIG. 3. When measuring an amount of the collected water, the kettle filled up with the water was first positioned on a horizontal place, and then the amount of the water inside of the kettle was adjusted from adding in or pulling out according to a top water level which reached the mark of a joint line where the mouth was affixed to the body of the kettle. The second utensil was a big sized aluminum pot with a glass top cover, which was used to represent a larger sized utensil. The pot had a cylindrical body with a diameter of approximately 23.5 cm. When in use of the pot, the equal amount of water was first measured from using the small round kettle. Then the inside water was completely poured into the big pot.

e. Order of the testing: First test: the amount of the water in the small round kettle was heated where the round kettle was placed on the flame heat regulating apparatus having the optional cookware supports from the present invention. Second test: the same amount of the water in the same kettle was heated wherein the kettle was placed on the expended grate of the commercial gas stove cooktop, which is illustrated in section (2). Third test, the same amount of the water which was placed in the big pot was heated while using the commercial cooktop setting. Fourth test: the same amount of the water in the same big pot was heated when the big pot was placed on the flame heat regulating apparatus from the present invention.

f. Times determined for boiling the water: when using the small round kettle, the times for boiling the water were determined according to an early moment that the steam whistle sounded loudly. When in use of the big pot, the times were determined that a loud sound of the boiling water was recognized.

(4) Testing Results:

The following Table 1 lists the testing results of each category which is illustrated above. The results demonstrate that at least more than 14.5% of the increased heating efficiency in cooking was achieved with applying both the smaller and larger sized utensils, as compared with the times needed for the commercial cooktop to boil the same amount of the water. The results of the increased heating efficiency demonstrate importance of regulating the flame heat radiation and flame conviction including the air convection for saving energy in cooking. Therefore, the teaching from the test results is consistent with the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, the testing results also demonstrate that application of the present invention removal flame heat transfer regulating apparatus significantly reduces the combustible gas consumption and green house gas production in cooking.

TABLE 1 Testing results for the Tested Samples (Sample) and References (Ref.) Test Times Difference to Efficiency Test Subject Utensil (min.) Ref. (min.) % to Ref. % (+) 1 Sample Kettle 19.75 −4.50 81.44% 18.56% 2 Ref. Kettle 24.25 3 Ref. Big Pot 24.67 4 Sample Big Pot 21.08 −3.59 85.44% 14.55%

In the above disclosures of the present invention, the first and second embodiments 100 and 200 of the flame heat transfer regulating apparatus are illustrated for the gas stove cooktop having the sealed burner mounting assembly. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention is also appropriate for the gas stove cooktop having the opened burner mounting assembly. In addition, from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the outer wall 130 or 230 can be an extended one, which extends to surround two side-by-side gas burners of the stove cooktop.

It will be further appreciated that, from the spirit of scope of the present invention, the inner hollow shell 102 or 202 and the respective outer wall 103 or 230 can be an integrated one.

In the configuration for the integrated inner shell 102 and outer wall 130, the top circumference 110 of the inner hollow shell 102 is simultaneously affixed to each of four upward wall 132 of the outer square wall 130. One embodiment of the affixation takes place at a position 137 on the interior surface 136 of each upward wall 132, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The position 137 is aligned with the middle of the upward wall 132 and a position which is slightly below than the top side 138 of the upward wall 130. Therefore, the rotational axis 114 of the inner hollow shell 102 and the symmetric axis 142 of the outer square wall 130 are aligned with together. It will be appreciated that after affixation, in one embodiment, both the inner hollow shell 102 and the outer square wall 130 in the integrated form can be stood on the cooktop.

Obviously, other embodiments for integration are also available. For example, the top circumference 110 of the inner shell 102 can be affixed to four positions of the top side 138 of the square wall 130. In addition, the top circumference 110 of the shell 102 can be affixed on the top of the top side 138 of the square wall 130 if there is a rim on the top circumference 110 of the shell.

For integration of the inner hollow shell 202 and the outer circular wall 230 from one embodiment of affixation, the top circumference 210 of the inner hollow shell 202 is affixed to an upper circumference of the outer square wall 230. The upper circumference is positioned on the interior surface 236 of the outer wall 230 in parallel with, but slightly below than the top circumference 238 of the outer wall 230. Therefore, the rotational axis 214 of the inner hollow shell 202 and the symmetric axis 242 of the outer square wall 230 aligned with together.

It will be appreciated that other embodiments are also appropriate for integration of the inner shell 202 and outer wall 230, which are the same as the disclosed embodiments for integrating the shell 102 and square wall 130.

Based on the integrated models which are illustrated above, a further structural variation can be conducted. One embodiment will be that the outer wall 130 or 230 is reduced to be a plurality of identical members, which each member has functions to support the utensil, prevent the undesirable heating of the utensil handle, and provide a pathway for hot gases to flow outwardly and upwardly. Under this principle, for example, the outer square wall 130 or the outer circular wall 230 can be reduced to comprise at least three identical upward strips, which are evenly spaced to affix to the inner circularly arcuate shell. Each strip has a width which is the same as the length of the top side 152 of the extension 146. In addition, each strip has a height which is the same height as the maximum height of the upward plate 132. Therefore, a bottom end of each of at least three strips stands on the cooktop of the gas stove, and a top end supports the utensil and block the undesirable heating of the cookware handle.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated that, the present invention flame heat transfer regulating apparatus is only comprised of the hollow circularly arcuate shell. Under this structural configuration, the shell is positioned on the cooktop to surround the upper section of a gas burner, and the commercial grate is used to support the utensil.

In terms of structural variation on materials used for manufacturing the apparatus, it will be appreciated that ceramics is also an appropriate choice, such as alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, titanium carbide, magnesium oxide and silicon dioxide, or any their combinations. This is because ceramics has excellent thermal properties including high melting point, large heat capacity, low thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion, mechanical properties including hardness and compressive strength, and durability including resistance to corrosion. In addition, the fracture toughness can be largely improved by implementing the fiber enhanced manufacturing process, which forms the fiber enhanced ceramics. These properties of the ceramics fit the material requirements for manufacturing the apparatus.

Therefore, it will be positive for maintaining high temperature in the space under the utensil if the apparatus including the inner shell and outer wall is made of the ceramics particularly due to its large heat capacity and low thermal conductivity. This is also advantageous to the object of achieving high efficiency in cooking from the present invention.

(II) The Gas Burner Having Improved Burner Ports and Appropriate Sized (Outer) Flame Ring

It will be appreciated that, the apparatus disclosed above is incorporated with the existing gas burner having the laterally oriented conventional burner ports of openings. The structural characteristics of the burner ports is disclosed in the above section of “Description of the Prior Art”. In addition, two major disadvantages, which are negative to achieve high efficiency in cooking, are also disclosed for the conventional burner ports because of their association with the flame transverse elongation particularly under the maximum flow rate of the combustible mixture.

Therefore, for the objective of achieving high efficiency in heating of utensils having the most popularly and probably used sizes especially in the presence of the flame generated by the maximum pressured mixture of the combustible gases and primary air, an appropriate strategy from the present invention is to direct the flame burning aligning with an angle relative to the transverse orientation. In this configuration, the burning flame is angularly positioned from the respective burner ports to the bottom side of the utensil, wherein the top flame can directly contact the bottom side of the utensil. This will eliminate both problems of the large area of the clod spot and flame transverse elongation including the chilling effect. Following this strategy, the present invention changes structure of the commercial burner ports including their orientations.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is an illustrated upper section 300 of a gas burner including a plurality of the improved burner ports 314 from the present invention. The upper section 300, which is positioned on the cooktop 166, is comprised of a top removable round cap 302 and an upward hollow neck 340 that is affixed onto the cooktop 166, wherein the top cap 302 is positioned downwardly to mate the hollow neck 340.

The cap 302 is comprised of a transverse top 304, which is connected to a downward circular side wall 306 to thereby form an inner recess 330. The wall has an outer side 308, an inner side 310 and a bottom side ring 312. In addition, a plurality of the downward narrow slots 314 are circumferentially and radially spaced to cross the bottom side ring 312 of the side wall 306. The upward hollow neck 340 is comprised of an upward circular side wall 342 having a top ring 346 that matches the downward circular side wall 306 of the cap 302, and a central upward opening 344 for passing a pressured mixture 360 of the combustible gases and primary air.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 8A, the improved burner port is originally from the downward slot 314 having a narrow width. The narrow slot is comprised of a larger expended section 314 a having a larger outward opening 326, which is connected to a smaller section 314 b having a smaller rectangular inward opening 322 and a symmetric axis 332 that is in a transverse orientation. The outward opening 326 and inward opening 322 are positioned on the respective outer and inner sides 308 and 310 of the wall. The expended section 314 a is comprised of an ascending rectangular interior top 316 of surface, a transverse downward bottom opening 318, and two identical downward sides. The ascending top 316 has an angle “D” relative to the symmetrical axis 332 of the small section 314 b. In a preferred embodiment, the angle “D” has 45-degrees. In addition, two downward sides have a shape of the right angled trapezium, which are identical to the cross sectional view of the section 314 a in FIG. 8A. The smaller section 314 b is comprised of an interior top 324 of the rectangular side, and two downward sides 328, which forms the downward opening 320.

Referring further to FIGS. 8 and 8 a, the first end 316 a of the ascending top 316 connects to the outer side 308 of the circular side wall 306. The opposite second end 316 b of the ascending top 316 of surface connects to the top rectangular side 324 of the small section 314 b. In this setting, the length of the side 324 represents the width of the narrow slot 314. In addition, the transverse downward bottom opening 318 of the larger section 314 a connects to a transverse downward bottom opening 320 of the smaller section 314 b. The connection forms the downward bottom opening of the slot 314, which is aligned with the bottom side ring 312 of the cap 302.

It will be appreciated that, after the top cap 302 is positioned to mate the hollow neck 340, the narrow slots turn to the respective improved burner ports 314 of the present invention, wherein the outward openings are outlets 326, and the inward openings are inlets 322 of the respective burner ports.

Referring to FIG. 8, after the pressured combustible mixture 360 entering into an inner chamber constructed mainly by the inner recess 330 of the cap 302, the pressured mixture 360 first passes through the smaller section 314 b that is served as a nozzle of the port and then enters into the larger expended section 314 a, wherein the orientation of the nozzle 314 b is aligned with the sideward symmetrical axis 332.

It will be appreciated that the combustible mixture flows at a higher speed in the nozzle 314 b, as compared with a slower speed in the expended section 314 a, when the mixture 360 that enters the upward opening 344 of the burner neck 340 has a pressure (or flow rate) selected by a user. This is because of the larger expended cross sectional areas of the larger section 314 a that are in parallel with a surface of the outlet 326. The larger areas are compared with the smaller constant rectangular cross sectional area of the smaller section 314 b. In this configuration, it results in a stable flow of the combustible mixture inside of the larger section 314 a, which further leads to a stable flame kernel at the outlet 326 of the burner port 314, when the mixture is ignited by an electric lighter (not shown). In addition, the stable flame kernel is further supported by the secondary air that flows through the apparatus from the surrounding areas of the flame. Therefore, the present invention enables to form stable flame kernels, particularly in the situation of the supplied combustible mixture 360 having the highest pressure.

In addition, it will be appreciated that the flame kernel will align with the preferred angle of 45 degrees of the ascending top 316 of the burner port 314, which further results in a flame to burn aligning with the same angle: The angled flame can directly contact the bottom side of the utensil to thereby efficiently heat the utensil in cooking. This rationalization can be proved by the experiment results, which are listed in the following Table 2.

EXAMPLE II

The following are examples of the present invention flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having the improved burner ports from the present invention, which are offered by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation and restriction.

A cap 302 was constructed according to the above illustrated structural characteristics including 32 improved burner ports 314. The cap included the circumferential side wall 306 having a height of 1.1 cm, an outer circular side 308 having a diameter of 6.4 cm, and an inner circular side 310 having a diameter of 5.1 cm, wherein the height and the inner circular side were the same as those of an existing commercial cap having 24 laterally oriented conventional rectangular ports. The improved burner port 314 had a width 324 of approximately 0.3 cm, wherein the height of the outward opening 326 was approximately 0.5 cm, and the length of the transverse bottom opening 318 of the large expended section 314 a was also approximately 0.5 cm. In addition, the downward surface 328 of the small section 314 b had a length of approximately 0.15 cm, which was the height of the small section 314 b. The upper side 324 and lower opening 320 had a length of approximately 0.15 cm, which was also the width of the small section 314 b.

In this setting, a combined area of 32 inlets 322 was approximately 144 mm² for the constructed cap 302 from the present invention. The area 144 mm² was similar to a combined area 150 mm² for 24 square shaped inlets from the commercial cap, since each square shaped inlet had a dimension of approximately 0.25 cm×0.25 cm. Therefore, the combustible mixture 360 under a pressure had the same flow speed when it flew into 32 inlets 322 of the constructed cap 302, as compared with a flow speed when the same pressured mixture 360 flew into 24 inlets of the commercial cap.

The experiment procedures of the EXAMPLE II were basically the same as those of the EXAMPLE I, except for the experiments in the EXAMPLE II that were conducted in the early of the afternoon. In that time period when the experiments were completed, the pressure deviations of the supplied city combustible gases were assumed to be minimum.

In addition, several experimental conditions were as below:

(1) Only the circularly hollow shall 102 that was illustrated in EXAMPLE I was used in the experiments of the EXAMPLE II. In addition, the extended commercial grate was used to support the kettle that was the only utensil used in the experiments. The distance between the top side 316 a of the burner port outlet 326 to the bottom side of the kettle was approximately 3 cm;

(2) The maximum pressure (or flow rate) of the supplied combustible gasses was used, according to the gas flow control knob that was positioned to align with the mark “H1” on the cooktop. In the experiments, the rate was assured by locking the gas flow control knob into a clicked position that was originally manufactured; and

(3) The test order was a twice-measurement for the reference, where the commercial burner cap (abbreviation: C-Cap) was used, and one test for the sample, where the constructed burner cap of the present invention was used (abbreviation: I-Cap).

During the experiments, it was observed that the stable and strong flame burned at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the transverse orientations, wherein the flame top directly contacted the kettle bottom side. The top of the flame from 32 improved burner ports 314 formed a circle having a diameter of approximately 13 cm, which was significantly less than the diameter 19.3 cm of the kettle bottom side. The top flame from the improved burner ports first contacted the kettle bottom side and then turned radially and transversely to form a transverse ring of the flame, wherein the flame ring also contacted the utensil bottom side before it outwardly escaped. As a contrast, the flame having the transverse elongation was observed in the experiments for the conventional burner ports of the commercial cap, wherein, the flame was almost in parallel with the respective transverse directions and the top of the flame did not directly contact the bottom side of the kettle.

The experimental results in Table 2 prove that an increase of heating efficiency 10.93% is

TABLE 2 Testing results for the Tested Samples (Sample) and References (Ref.) Test Times Difference to % to ave. Efficiency Test Subject Utensil (min.) C-Cap (min.) C-Cap % (+) 1 C-Cap Kettle 10.38 2 C-Cap Kettle 10.50 3 I-Cap Kettle 9.30 −1.14 89.08% 10.93% achieved from applying the present invention burner cap having the improved burner ports. The increase of the heating efficiency is positively assured, particularly from very small percentage (1.1%) of differences when the reference C-Cap was twice tested.

It will be appreciated that, the expanded section 314 a having the ascending top 316 actually changes orientation of the flow of the combustible mixture 360, from a zero-degree to a 45-degree relative to the transverse direction, when the mixture passes through the nozzle 314 b into the expanded section 314 a. Similarly, change of the orientation of the nozzle 314 b is also available from the present invention. Therefore, various variations on the structures of the improved burner port are rationalized, as compared with the illustrated embodiment 314, for achieving the angular flow of the combustible mixture.

Referring to FIG. 8B, there is illustrated another embodiment 314′ of the improved burner ports from the present invention as the structural variations of the burner ports 314 in FIG. 8A. In that configuration, the orientation of the nozzle 314′b, which aligns with the symmetric axis 332′, is at an angle “G” relative to the horizontal direction. Accordingly, the identical burner port 314′ is an opening that penetrates through the cap side wall 306. Therefore, a bottom side 318′ of the large expended section 314′a can be positioned to align with an angle “E” relative to the cap transverse bottom ring 312′. The ascending top 316′ of the surface is at the angle “F”, wherein the angle “F” is larger than the angle “E”. In this setting, it will be appreciated that, according to the spirit and scope of the present invention, no matter how to alter the angle of the orientation of the nozzle 314′b, the outlet 326′ of the large expended section must be larger than the inlet 322′ of the small section 314′b, wherein the angle “F” is always larger than the angle “E”, so that the stable flame kernels can be obtained.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 8C, there is illustrated additional embodiment 314″ of the improved burner ports that are upwardly and radially spaced on the top 304 of the cap 302. The identical port 314″ having an upward symmetric axis 332″ is comprised of a smaller section 314″b connected to a larger expanded section 314″a. The smaller section that is served as a nozzle is aligned with the upward axis 332″ having a 90-degree relative the transverse direction, wherein an inlet 322″ of the nozzle connects to the inner recess 330″. The expended larger section 314″a is also upward positioned, comprising an outlet 326″ that is aligned with the top transverse side of the top 304 and two ascending interior surfaces 316″.

In the structural configuration illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8C, it will be appreciated that, the burner ports can be in the round shape. Specifically, the burner port 314″ is comprised the expended section 314″a of the opening that is in a shape of a symmetric frustum of a cone, which is concentrically connected to the nozzle 314″b that is in a shape of a cylindrical opening. The burner port 314 can be a half of the port 314″ to comprise a downward opening. Regard the burner port 314′, the larger section 314′a can be an asymmetric frustum of opening, which is connected to the smaller section 314′b that is a cylindrical opening.

From illustration of FIGS. 8A-8C, the present invention discloses a structural characteristics of change of the orientation of the nozzles of the improved burner ports from a zero degree to a 90-degree relative to the transverse direction, which correlates to change of the burner port locations from the side wall to the top of the cap.

In a preferred embodiment for positioning these burner ports, it can be classified as: (1) the improved burner ports can be positioned on the side wall 306 if the angle “G” of the nozzle is ranging from equal to a zero degree to less than a 45-degree; (2) the improved burner ports can be positioned at the joint where the cap top 304 is connected to the side wall 306 of the cap 302 if the angle “G” is equal to a 45-degree; and (3) the ports can be positioned on the top 304 if the angle “G” is ranging from larger than a 45-degree to equal to a 90-degree. However, as illustrated above, no matter how to alter the angle of the orientation of the nozzle, the outlet of the large expended section that has an ascending interior surface must be larger than the inlet of the small section of each improved burner port, according to the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In addition, other structural variations of the improved burner ports are available. Referring to FIG. 8A, instead of having the large expended section 314 a connected to the small section 314 b, the improved gas port can only have the expended section, wherein the second end 316 b of the ascending top 316 is connected to the inner circular side 310 of the wall 306.

Furthermore, instead of positioning the improved burner ports 314 onto the cap 302, the identical ports can be positioned onto the circular side wall 342 of the hollow neck 340 of the burner for achieving the same effect. The ports 314 can be additionally positioned to cross both the cap bottom ring 312 and the neck top ring 346. It will be appreciated that the structural details of the burner ports in these options are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, such details will not be repeated again.

Regarding a structural variation of the cap, FIG. 8D illustrates that a circumferential sideward protrusion 344 is positioned on the outer side 308 of the side wall 306 to align with the top of the cap top 304, which the protrusion bottom side 348 that is a circular ring is aligned with the ascending tops 316 of the respective burner ports 314. Therefore, the flame along the ascending angle when it burns will not be affected by the presence of the side protrusion 344. Besides, a downward circular slot 346 is positioned at a joint when the protrusion 344 connects to the side wall 306 of the cap. The protrusion 344 is designed to prevent extinction of the flame kernels if there is liquid dropping to the cap in cooking. The downward slot 346 is for stabilizing the flame kernels, when they are formed from igniting the combustible mixture at the minimum flow rate (or pressure) that is selected by a user of the stove.

It will be appreciated that, the cap structural variation shown in FIG. 8D and burner port variation shown in FIG. 8B can be simultaneously applied to manufacture a cap according to the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Still following the rationalization of the first reason that causes to lose the thermal energy in the section of “Description of the Prior Art”, it will be appreciated that a burner (outer) flame ring having an extra large diametrical size also can cause loss of the thermal energy even the burner ports of the ring are arranged in the upward orientation. This rationalization is driven by a practical fact that the most popularly and probably used utensils have diameters in a narrow range, for example, from 15 cm to 20 cm. Such practical fact also determines an optimum diametrical size of the top circumference of the inner shell 102 or 202 for the apparatus. Thus, the apparatus having the fixed size cannot resist heat loss if an extra large sized flame ring is used.

Therefore, it is critical that sizes of the respective (outer) flame ring, the top circumference of the shell and the utensil must be appropriately matched for achieving the best heating efficiency in cooking.

Hereafter are experimental results, which demonstrate the above rationalization regarding incorporation with sizes of the respective flame ring, the utensil and the circular shell.

EXAMPLE III

The following are examples of the present invention heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having the improved burner ports from the present invention, which are offered by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation and restriction.

A commercial burner of a gas stove having the opened burner mounting manufactured in China was used in the experiments. The burner was consisted of a smaller central flame ring and a larger outer flame ring. The large flame ring had a top cap having an outer diameter of 10.5 cm, an inner diameter of 6.5 cm, and a ring width of 2 cm. The cap had 20 identical linear slots, which crossed the top of the cap to serve as the upward burner ports. The slots were radially and circumferentially positioned on the top of the cap. Each identical linear slot had a width of approximately 0.1 cm and a length of 2 cm. Therefore, a total of the opened areas were 4 cm² for 20 linear slots. In this setting, the outermost diameter of a circumference was 10.5 cm, wherein the circumference was aligned with the outermost positions of the respective linear slots. Therefore, the diameter of 10.5 cm was also the outermost diameter of the outer flame ring after the combustible mixture that flew out of the slots was ignited.

As a comparison, an experimental cap was constructed, which was identical to the commercial one except for the linear burner ports. Instead of having 20 linear slots, the experimental cap had 30 identical upward burner ports. The ports were circumferentially spaced along a middle circumference having a diameter of 8 cm on the cap.

Each identical upward port 314″ of opening had the structure similar to that disclosed in FIG. 8C. The upward port 314″ was consisted of an upper void section 314″a in the shape of a frustum of a right angled cone concentrically connected to a lower cylindrical void section 314″b. The lower cylindrical section 314″b that had a diameter of 0.4 cm and a height of approximately 0.3 cm was served as a nozzle, which bottom side 322″ was the inlet for entering the combustible mixture. The upper section 314″a had a height of approximately 0.2 cm and a top circumference with a diameter of 0.75 cm, wherein the top circumference of the opening was the outlet 326″ of the burner port. The top frustum shaped section 314″a was served to lower a speed of the combustible mixture flowing inside of the section. This resulted in a stable flame kernel when the mixture having the lower speed was ignited at the circular outlet 326″.

In this setting, a total of areas of the inlets 322″ were approximately 4 cm² for 30 identical burner ports, which was the same as that of the 20 linear slots. Therefore, the combustible mixture had the same speed when it flew through 20 linear slots of the commercial cap, as compared with a speed when it flew into 30 round inlets of the experimental cap according to a criterion that the combustible mixture 360 had the same supplied flow rate (or pressure), when it flew into the central opening 344 of the upward neck 340.

The experiment procedures of the EXAMPLE III were generally the same as those of the EXAMPLES I and II, except for: (1) the experiments were conducted after midnight in Shanghai China, since pressure deviations of the supplied city combustible gases were considered to be insignificant during the time period when the experiments were completed; (2) a mercury thermometer was used to measure a water temperature of 80 degree C. as the ending point of the tests.

In addition, other experimental conditions were as follows:

(1) Utensil: A cylindrical stainless steel pot was used as the water container, which had a height of 15.5 cm and diameter of 19.7 cm. The pot was covered with a top glass cover having a central opening. The thermometer was inserted into the central opening, where the meter head was submerged at the middle of the water inside of the pot. The thermometer was supported by a rubber stopper that was positioned on the glass cover. In the experiments, a bottle was used for measuring an amount of water that was used in each test. The amount of water was calibrated according to obtaining a full bottle of the water.

(2) Construction of a Flame Heat Transfer Regulating Apparatus 200:

The flame heat transfer regulating apparatus was constructed following the illustration of the embodiment 200 of the present invention, comprising an inner circularly concave hollow shell 202 and an outer circle wall 230, which were integrated together. The inner hollow shell 202 was comprised of a top circumference 210 having a diameter of approximately 18.8 cm, a bottom circumference 212 having a diameter of approximately 12.8 cm, and a height of 3.4 cm between the top circumference and bottom circumference.

Three groups of holes served as the air passages 216 were drilled through the shell 202 with a diameter of 6 mm for each air passage 216. The air passages 216 in the first group were circumferentially spaced along an upper circumference 218 having a diameter of approximately 18 cm that was adjacent the top circumference 210, wherein two adjacent passages 216 were separated with approximately 4 cm. The upper circumference 218 was approximately 0.7 cm lower than the top circumference 210. The air passages 216 in the second group were circumferentially spaced along a middle circumference having a diameter of approximately 16 cm, wherein the middle circumference was positioned approximately 1.3 cm higher that the bottom circumference 212 which is positioned. In second group, two adjacent air passages were separated with approximately 2.5 cm. The air passages 216 in the third group were circumferentially spaced along a lower circumference 220 having a diameter of approximately 14 cm that was positioned approximately 0.4 cm higher than the bottom circumference 212. In the third group, two adjacent air passages were separated with approximately 2 cm.

The outer circular wall 230 included a height “H12” of 4 cm, a top circumference 238 having a diameter of 18.8 cm that was identical to the diameter of a bottom circumference 240. A plurality of air passages 244 having the diameter of 5 mm were evenly distributed therethrough the outer wall 230. As previously disclosed, a number of the air passages 244 therethrough the outer wall 230 are more than the number of the air passages 216 of the inner circular shell 202. Three identical upward extensions 246 having a height of 1.2 cm were circumferentially spaced on the top circumference 238 for supporting the utensil. The inner shell 202 and outer wall 230 were integrated when their top circumferences were affixed together.

After installation of the apparatus 200 onto the cooktop of the gas stove, a distance of approximately 2.3 cm was measured between the pot bottom side and outlet 326″ when the pot was positioned on the upward extensions of the apparatus. The distance of 2.3 cm is similar to a distance of approximately 2.5 cm, which was measured in the commercial setting (see below).

(3) References, Tested Samples and Test Order:

Times needed to heat the full bottle of water were served as References (Ref) from using the commercial setting, which included the commercial utensil supports that were upward posts, the central small flame ring, and the outer flame ring having the cap with 20 linear slots. The Sample 1 (S1) was for the times to heat the same full bottle of water when the above disclosed heat transfer regulating apparatus was used to surround the central and outer flame rings, and support the stainless steel pot. The Sample 2 (S2) was for the times to heat the same amount of the water when the above disclosed heat transfer regulating apparatus was used to support the pot and surround the central and outer rings. However, the outer flame ring had the experimental cap, which was constructed by the present invention. The Sample 3 (S3) was for the times to heat the same amount of the water when in use of the commercial utensil supports to support the pot, the central ring and the outer flame ring having the experimental cap of the present invention. The test order in the experiments was References, S1, S2 and S3.

(4) The Flow Rate of the Combustible Mixture:

A flow rate was selected using the setting of References according to the outermost top flame that reached the outer circumference of the pot bottom side from turning the gas control knob that had a line mark. Then, the direction of the knob was marked on the cooktop. Therefore, a consistent flow rate was obtained through the entire experiment, when the line mark on the knob was aligned with the mark on the cooktop. In addition, the flame generated at the selected flow rate was observed to close a flame that was generated at the maximum flow rate.

During the entire experiments, the flame was only turned off one time for exchanging of the commercial and constructed caps of the outer flame ring, which was happened after completing measurement of the Sample 1. Otherwise, the flame was kept to burn at the selected flow rate of the combustible mixture for minimizing variations of the selected flow rate. In addition, the central smaller flame ring was also kept to burn during the experiments

The experimental cap was observed to generate a flame of a circular upward wall having a diameter of approximately 9.5 cm, when the flame burned at the improved burner ports. The flame top first contacted the utensil bottom side and then turned radially and transversely to a transverse ring, which also contacted the utensil bottom side before it escaped.

Further, in an additional test for examining if there will be a cold spot on the pot bottom side, it was observed that the water was initially boiled around a circle having the diameter of approximately 9.5 cm. The water was then very quickly turned to boil along the whole bottom side of the pot. This indicated that a temperature gradient of the pot bottom side in cooking was insignificant in the radical directions.

(5) Test Results:

The experimental results listed in Table 3 indicate that the burner in the commercial setting (Ref.) generates a significant energy loss (−18.6%), as compared with the burner which

TABLE 3 Testing results for the Tested Samples (S) and References (Ref.) Test Test Type of Times Difference to % to Efficiency % Order Subject the Utensil (min.) Ref. (min.) Ref. (+) to Ref. 1 Ref. Pot 6.17 2 S1 Pot 5.93 −0.24 96.1 3.9 3 S2 Pot 4.77 −1.40 77.3 22.7 4 S3 Pot 5.02 −1.15 83.8 18.6 the outer flame ring is covered by the experimental cap (S3). Comparing with the structural characteristics of the commercial cap, the energy loss from the commercial setting is rationalized as follows: (1) The larger sized outer flame ring, which the outermost circumference of the flame kernels has the diameter of 10.5 cm, and (2) the linear slot shaped burner ports.

Alternatively speaking, the comparison tests of Reference and S3 indicate that appropriate sized flame ring and improved burner ports are significant to increase heating efficiency of the flame in cooking, wherein the improved burner port is comprised of a smaller nozzle having a smaller inlet connected to a larger expanded section having a larger outlet. Therefore, the flame generated at the outlets by the combustible mixture having the lower speed is possibly burned more completely in the presence of the secondary air, as compared with the flame from the commercial cap where the combustible mixture has a higher speed when it is out of the slots. This results in a higher elevated temperature in the settings of S2 and S3 using the experimental cap, which further results in significant energy savings in heating the water.

The result from testing the setting of S2 indicates additional +4.1% energy saving that is obtained as compared with the result in settling of S3. This is due to the contribution of the apparatus, which regulates the heat radiation and convection. Interestingly, almost the same energy saving +3.9% is achieved in testing of S1 as compared with testing of Reference, wherein both settings of S1 and Reference are involved in the upward flame pattern. The energy saving +3.9% is also contributed by application of the apparatus.

Further comparing a larger energy saving of (larger than +14.55%) in EXAMPLE I with a smaller energy saving of (+4%) in EXAMPLE III in application of the present invention apparatus, it is clear that, the laterally oriented burner ports contribute significant energy loss, as compared with the upward oriented burner ports.

Therefore, the experimental results are consistent with the rationalization according to the spirit and scope of the present invention, which the improved burner ports significantly increase the heating efficiency of the flame in cooking since they control the flame pattern to prevent a large amount of the energy loss. In addition, the apparatus still contributes a part of the energy savings. Therefore, the experimental results prove that, the present invention flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with the burner having the improved burner ports is a total solution for achieving the best heating efficiency of the flame in cooking.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated that from the experimental results disclosed above, the present invention can define a set of parameter, which are critical for an optimum structure of the apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports to practically achieve the best heating efficiency in cooking according to application of an utensil having the most popularly and probably used size. The critical parameters include an optimum diameter 19 cm of the top circumference of the shell and a maximum diameter 8 cm of a circumference that is aligned with outlets of the respective burner ports of a flame (outer) ring, wherein they are correlated to an optimum distance ranging from 2.5 cm to 3 cm between the outlets and the bottom side of an utensil having an optimum diametrical size ranging from 15 cm to 20 cm.

The maximum diameter 8 cm of the circumference is defined according to the results of EXAMPLE III, wherein the circumference is aligned with centers 332″ of the outlets 326″ of the respective burner ports on the outer flame ring that generates the upward flame. It will be appreciated that the diameter 8 cm is also appropriate for a flame (outer) ring having the sideward outlets 326 that are positioned on the outer side of the burner upper section illustrated in FIG. 8A, wherein the outlets control the flame kernels having the optimum angle of 45 degree relative to the respective transverse directions. This is because that, a circular flame top having the diameter 14 cm is projected according to the above defined optimum distance ranging from 2.5 cm and 3 cm and a combustible mixture under a high pressure (or flow rate). The diameter of 14 cm is smaller than the diameter between 15 cm and 20 cm for the most popularly and probably used utensils, so that the utensils can be still efficiently heated.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated that, in the presence of a medium or a slightly high pressure of the combustible mixture that is the most popularly and probably used conditions in cooking, the diameter of the circular top flame will be smaller than the above projected 14 cm. In those situation, satisfactory savings of the combustible gases are expected from a rationalization that the shell additionally prevent the energy loss according to the experimental results of the EXAMPLE I. In addition, savings of the combustible gases are also expected when they are under small to medium pressure, since the apparatus significantly prevents the flame heat loss.

It will be further appreciated that, a satisfactory energy saving is also expected for utilizing a wok in the setting having the above defined parameters. This is because that the wok generally has a larger area of the outer surface having a smooth convex curve, as compared with the pot having a smaller area in addition to a change of 90-degree when the bottom side is connected to the cylindrical outer side. Therefore, when applying the present invention apparatus incorporated with the burner having the improved burner ports, the exhaust gases and air at a higher temperature in addition to the top of the flame will be more likely to follow along the convex curve of the wok according to the theory of fluid dynamics after the flame directly contacts the wok. This results in efficiently heating of the wok.

It will be additionally appreciated that, under the above defined basic parameters, there is still a room for tuning other structural parameters including a size of the identical outlet as compared with a size of the inlet, and an orientation of the expanded section of the burner ports if the section is not aligned with the orientation of the nozzle of the smaller section, so that a best result of energy savings can be achieved.

Defined in detail, the present invention is A removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove, comprising: a) an inner hollow shell being an ascending wall having a top opening with a larger sized top circumference and a bottom opening with a smaller sized circumference, a plurality of air passages of openings being through said shell, wherein said air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of said shell, as compared with said air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of said shell; b) an outer wall, comprising an exterior side, an interior side, a top side and a bottom side, wherein a plurality of air passages of openings are distributed through said outer wall, multiple extensions projecting upwardly are spaced at said top side, wherein each said extension includes a top end; c) both said inner hollow shell and outer wall are positioned onto a cooktop of said gas stove, said inner hollow shell surrounds an upper section of said burner, wherein said improved burner ports are positioned, each said improved burner port includes an expanded larger section having a larger sized outlet connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet, said outer wall surrounds said inner hollow shell and is additionally for supporting an utensil; and d) said apparatus incorporated with said burner having said improved burner ports enables to increase heating efficiency of flame in cooking, said inner hollow shell regulating transfer of flame heat radiation and convection, said outer wall provides a gap for flame exhaust gases to flow outwardly and upwardly, one of said upward extensions is served as a heat shield for preventing undesirable heating of a handle of said utensil in cooking.

Defined broadly, the present invention is a removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove, comprising: a) a member comprising a plurality of air passages being therethrough, wherein said air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of said member, as compared with said air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of said member; b) said member is positioned onto a cooktop of said gas stove to surround an upper section of said burner, wherein said improved burner ports are positioned, each said improved burner port includes an expanded larger section having an ascending interior surface and a larger sized outlet, which is connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet; c) means for supporting an utensil; d) means for regulating heat radiation and heat convection of flame; e) means for increasing heating efficiency of said flame in cooking, and f) means for preventing undesirable heating of a handler of said utensil.

Defined alternatively, the present invention is a removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove that supports an utensil, comprising: a) a hollow shell being an ascending wall having a top opening with a larger sized top circumference and a bottom opening with a smaller sized circumference, a plurality of air passages of openings being through said shell, wherein said air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of said shell, as compared with said air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of said shell; b) said hollow shell is positioned onto a cooktop of said gas stove to surround an upper section of said burner, wherein said improved burner ports are positioned, each said improved burner port includes an expanded larger section having a larger sized outlet connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet; and c) said apparatus incorporated with said burner having said improved burner ports enables to increase heating efficiency of flame in cooking, said hollow shell regulating transfer of flame heat radiation and convection.

Defined another alternatively, the present invention is a removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove, wherein each said improved burner ports comprising an expanded larger section having a larger sized outlet connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet.

Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated. 

1. A removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove, comprising: a. an inner hollow shell being an ascending wall having a top opening with a larger sized top circumference and a bottom opening with a smaller sized circumference, a plurality of air passages of openings being through said shell, wherein said air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of said shell, as compared with said air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of said shell; b. an outer wall, comprising an exterior side, an interior side, a top side and a bottom side, wherein a plurality of air passages of openings are distributed through said outer wall, multiple extensions projecting upwardly are spaced at said top side, wherein each said extension includes a top end; c. both said inner hollow shell and outer wall are positioned onto a cooktop of said gas stove, said inner hollow shell surrounds an upper section of said burner, wherein said improved burner ports are positioned, each said improved burner port includes an expanded larger section having a larger sized outlet connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet, said outer wall surrounds said inner hollow shell and is additionally for supporting an utensil; and d. said apparatus incorporated with said burner having said improved burner ports enables to increase heating efficiency of flame in cooking, said inner hollow shell regulating transfer of flame heat radiation and convection, said outer wall provides a gap for flame exhaust gases to flow outwardly and upwardly, one of said upward extensions is served as a heat shield for preventing undesirable heating of a handle of said utensil in cooking.
 2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inner hollow shell and said outer wall are integrated together.
 3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said both inner hollow shell and said outer wall are symmetrical in shape, wherein said hollow shell is further in a concave including parabolic shape.
 4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inner hollow shell and said outer wall are both made of durable metals, or durable metal alloys, or ceramics.
 5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said ceramics is consisted of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride titanium carbide, magnesium oxide and silicon dioxide, or any their combinations.
 6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of attachment means on said outer wall.
 7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising at least two optional utensil supports, which are removably affixed to said attachment means, said optional utensil supports are used to additionally support said utensil.
 8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising multiple supports projecting downwardly that are spaced on said bottom side of said outer wall, said supports contact said cooktop to support said outer wall.
 9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said apparatus incorporated with said burner having said improved burner ports is for gas stoves having a sealed gas burner mounting or an opened gas burner mounting.
 10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said larger expanded section of said burner port further comprising an ascending interior surface.
 11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a sideward circumferential protrusion that is positioned on an outer side of said upper section of said burner to align with a top of said upper section, wherein a bottom side of said protrusion that is a circular ring is aligned with said ascending surface of each said burner port, a downward circular slot is positioned at a joint where said protrusion is connected to said upper section.
 12. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an optimum diameter 19 cm of said top circumference of said shell and a maximum diameter 8 cm of a circumference that is aligned with said outlets of the burner ports of a flame (outer) ring, wherein they are correlated to an optimum distance ranging from 2.5 cm to 3 cm between said outlets and a bottom side of said utensil having an optimum diametrical size ranging from 15 cm to 20 cm.
 13. A removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove, comprising: a. a member comprising a plurality of air passages being therethrough, wherein said air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of said member, as compared with said air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of said member; b. said member is positioned onto a cooktop of said gas stove to surround an upper section of said burner, wherein said improved burner ports are positioned, each said improved burner port includes an expanded larger section having an ascending interior surface and a larger sized outlet, which is connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet; c. means for supporting an utensil; d. means for regulating heat radiation and heat convection of flame; e. means for increasing heating efficiency of said flame in cooking, and f. means for preventing undesirable heating of a handler of said utensil.
 14. A removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove that supports an utensil, comprising: a. a hollow shell being an ascending wall having a top opening with a larger sized top circumference and a bottom opening with a smaller sized circumference, a plurality of air passages of openings being through said shell, wherein said air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of said shell, as compared with said air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of said shell; b. said hollow shell is positioned onto a cooktop of said gas stove to surround an upper section of said burner, wherein said improved burner ports are positioned, each said improved burner port includes an expanded larger section having a larger sized outlet connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet; and e. said apparatus incorporated with said burner having said improved burner ports enables to increase heating efficiency of flame in cooking, said hollow shell regulating transfer of flame heat radiation and convection.
 15. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said hollow shell is made of durable metals, or durable metal alloys, or ceramics.
 16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said hollow shell that is made of said metals or metal alloys is treated with surface coatings, said coatings include ceramic coating, chemical coating and electrochemical coating.
 17. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said ceramics is consisted of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride titanium carbide, magnesium oxide and silicon dioxide, or any their combinations.
 18. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said apparatus incorporated with said burner having said improved burner ports is for gas stoves having a sealed gas burner mounting or an opened gas burner mounting.
 19. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said larger expanded section of each said improved burner port further comprising an ascending interior top of surface.
 20. The apparatus in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a sideward circumferential protrusion that is positioned on an outer side of said upper section of said burner to align with a top of said upper section, wherein a bottom side of said protrusion that is a circular ring is aligned with said ascending top of each said improved burner port, a downward circular slot is positioned at a joint where said protrusion is connected to said upper section.
 21. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising an optimum diameter 19 cm of said top circumference of said shell and a maximum diameter 8 cm of a circumference that is aligned with said outlets of the burner ports of a flame (outer) ring, wherein they are correlated to an optimum distance ranging from 2.5 cm to 3 cm between said outlets and a bottom side of said utensil having an optimum diametrical size ranging from 15 cm to 20 cm.
 22. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said hollow shell that is symmetric is in a concave including parabolic shape.
 23. A removable flame heat transfer regulating apparatus incorporated with a burner having improved burner ports of openings for a gas stove, wherein each said improved burner ports comprising an expanded larger section having a larger sized outlet connected to a smaller section having a smaller sized inlet.
 24. The apparatus in accordance with claim 23, wherein said larger expanded section of each said improved burner port further comprising an ascending interior surface.
 25. The apparatus in accordance with claim 24, further comprising a sideward circumferential protrusion that is positioned on an outer side of said upper section of said burner to align with a top of said upper section, wherein a bottom side of said protrusion that is a circular ring is aligned with said ascending surface of each said improved burner port, a downward circular slot is positioned at a joint where said protrusion is connected to said upper section. 